Discovery Bank Spendtrend 2025 Highlights Real Time Black Friday Spending Patterns Across South Africa

The newly released insights provide a detailed look at payment trends, transaction volumes, and shifting consumer preferences during one of the busiest retail days of the year.

Key findings from Discovery Bank's SpendTrend 2025

Transaction volumes ahead of previous years

Comparison of November 2025 month-to-date data with the same period in 2024 and 2023 shows growth in both number and value of transactions. According to Business Report, average transactions per client have risen by 5% compared with 2024 and by 13% compared with 2023. Meanwhile, average spend per client is up 3% compared with last year.

Digital payments increasingly dominate in-store purchases

Insights indicate that digital wallets have now emerged as the default method for in-store transactions, with smart device payments accounting for nearly 60% of all in-store card purchases— almost double the share seen during Black Friday in 2023.

This reflects a decisive pivot towards frictionless, easy payment methods that leverage technology for added security and convenience.

Virtual cards grow in popularity online

MyBroadband reports that this year, virtual cards made up nearly 30% of all online purchases, up from around 20% in November 2024 — signaling rising consumer confidence in digital-first payment methods.

Big-ticket spenders emerge

The dashboard flagged several high-value single transactions, including one of R500,000 and another of over R99,000, showing that some consumers are using Black Friday to make major purchases.

Why this matters

Discovery Bank’s SpendTrend Dashboard offered a real-time pulse of South African retail behaviour — making it a critical resource for retailers, analysts, and policy watchers.

According to industry observers, the combination of higher transaction volumes, more digital payments, and significant occasional high-value purchases reflects growing consumer confidence, shifting payment habits, and strengthening infrastructure to support online and in-store commerce.

With transaction volumes and spending higher than in previous years, this year’s Black Friday provides a more optimistic indicator of consumer resilience — even in a challenging economic climate.

*The SpendTrend Dashboard was updated every three hours throughout Black Friday — from 5am to 11pm — providing continuous visibility into spending patterns. The data covers average transaction size, payment methods, online vs. in-store mix, high-value purchase events, and merchant preference.

View the Black Friday SpendTrend Dashboard.